Leading boat-handling systems manufacturer Vestdavit Inc. has won a tender with Halter Marine in Pascagoula, Mississippi to supply marine davits for the United States Coast Guard’s new Polar Security Cutter (PSC). The 460-foot vessel will support U.S. operations in Arctic and Antarctic waters.
Two HNFE-5000 davit systems from Vestdavit will launch and recover the Coast Guard’s ‘Over the Horizon’ rigid-hull inflatable boat, designed to intercept fast and non-compliant vessels, from the PSC’s enclosed bay. The lead PSC is scheduled to be delivered to the Coast Guard in 2024.
“The PSC is a robust, high performance ship designed to support critical missions in the harshest of marine environments,” says Magnus Oding, General Manager, Vestdavit Inc. “It requires a similarly resilient boat-handling system capable of functioning effectively in high seas. The HNFE-5000 is the most advanced motion-compensated davit in the world and can safely launch and recover RHIBs in conditions up to sea state 6.”
Motion compensation ensures boat crew safety and comfort are sustained as the HNFE-5000’s matches the cutter boat’s need for fast-paced and dynamic operations with hoisting and lowering speeds of up to 50 meters (164 feet) per minute. With a safe working load of 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lbs.), the HNFE-5000’s flexible davit-arm spacing will also enable it to handle any other RHIBs that the PSC may deploy in the future, explains Oding.
The electrically operated davit system features dual independent winches with dynamic brakes, as well as a telescopic painter boom that automatically adjusts the length of the painter line to match the position of the davit.
Vestdavit Inc.’s selection as supplier to the PSC Program follows a string of successes for the supplier with international coast guards and navies. Since opening its Seattle office in 2017, the Bergen-headquartered company has won davit supply contracts covering a U.S. Army Corps dredger, as well as two Expeditionary Sea Base and two Expeditionary Fast Transport ships for the U.S. Navy. Last month, it secured a frame agreement to service davits it has supplied to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
“Our office in Seattle gives us a strong foundation in North America – one of our most important markets,” says Vestdavit Managing Director Rolf Andreas Wigand. “It has allowed us to establish new relationships and build on our reputation for premium-quality products and service, and to secure prestigious contracts. Working with such a renowned shipyard to supply the Coast Guard is a great honor; we can’t wait to get started.”
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